Chrysanthemum plant named `Regal Volare`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named Regal Volare, characterized by its flat capitulum form; medium to large daisy-type inflorescences; attractive dark pink ray florets and yellow disc florets; numerous inflorescences per plant; and good postproduction longevity.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora andreferred to by the cultivar name Regal Volare.

The new cultivar is a product of a mutation induction breeding programconducted by the inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of themutation induction breeding program is to create new Chrysanthemumcultivars having desirable inflorescence and foliage colors andinflorescences and foliage with good form and substance.

The new cultivar originated by exposing 75 unrooted cuttings of theChrysanthemum selection Dark Volare (not patented) to an X-ray radiationlevel of 2,000 rads. Following the radiation treatment, the cuttingswere rooted and terminal apices were removed (pinched) three times topromote lateral branch development. After lateral branches from thethird pinch reached sufficient size, 255 terminal cuttings wereharvested, planted and flowered in Salinas, Calif. The cultivar RegalVolare was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single floweringplant within this population. The selection of this plant was based onits desirable inflorescence color and form and good inflorescence andfoliage substance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atSalinas, Calif. has shown tha the unique features of this newChrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of Regal Volare. These characteristics incombination distinguish Regal Volare as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Medium to large daisy-type inflorescences.

3. Attractive dark pink ray florets and yellow disc florets.

4. Numerous infloresences per plant.

5. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining goodsubstance and color for more than three weeks in an interiorenvironment.

The cultivar Regal Volare has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The new Chrysanthemum is similar in plant havit to the mutation parentcultivar Dark Volare. However in side-by-side comparison in Salinas,Calif. under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum haveray florets that are dark pink in color whereas ray florets of plants ofDark Volare are medium pink in color.

Plants of the cultivar Regal Volare are also similar to the cultivarVolare (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,058). However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Salinas, Calif. under commercialpractice, ray floret color on plants of the cultivar Regal Volare isdark pink (R.H.S. 70B) compared to the light pink (75D) ray floret colorof the cultivar Volare. Additionally in these evaluations, the newChrysanthemum differed from the cultivar Volare in the followingcharacteristics.

1. Plants of the cultivar Regal Volare were approximately 5 cm shorterthan plants of the cultivar Volare.

2. Plants of the cultivar Regal Volare flowered 2 to 3 days later thanplants of the cultivar Volare.

3. Inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Regal Volare were smaller indiameter than inflorescences of the cultivar Volare.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bogota, Colombia, undercommercial practice, the new Chrysanthemum differed form the cultivarVolare in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the cultivar Regal Volare were 5 to 7.5 cm shorter thanplants of the cultivar Volare.

2. Plants of the cultivar Regal Volare flowered 2 to 5 days later thanplants of the cultivar Volare.

3. No difference in inflorescence size between the two cultivars wasobserved.

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The first photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typicalflowering stem of Regal Volare grown as a single stem spray cutChrysanthemum.

The second photograph comprises a top perspective view of the uppersurface of leaves of the cultivar Regal Volare at six different stagesof development showing the differences in size and lobation development.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas Calif., undercommercial practice in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse with nighttemperatures ranging from 15 to 17 C., day temperatures up to 24 C., andlight levels of 2,500 to 3,000 footcandles. After planting rootedcuttings of the new cultivar, plants received 11 long day/short nightsfollowing by short day/long nights until flowering. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages for six typical flowering stems.

Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar RegalVolare.

Commercial classification: Daisy spray-type cut chrysanthemum.

Parentage: Induced mutation of Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar DarkVolare (not patented).

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.--7 to 10 days with soil temperatures of 21 C.

Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous daisy spray-type cut flower. Stemsupright, uniform habit and freely branching.

Flowering stem length.--80 to 85 cm.

Foliage description.--Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Leaf size, fullyexpanded: Length: About 10.5 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Leaf apex:Acuminate. Leaf base: Attenuate. Leaf margin: Palmately lobed. Leaftexture: Upper and under surfaces slightly pubescent. Veins prominent onunder surface. Petiole length: About 2 cm. Color: Young foliage uppersurface: 147A. Young foliage under surface: 147B. Mature foliage uppersurface: 147A. Mature foliage under surface: 147B. Venation uppersurface: 147B. Venation under surface: 147B. Petiole: 147A.

Flowering description:

Appearance.--Daisy inflorescence form. Inflorescences borne on terminalsabove foliage, arising from leaf axils. Disk and ray florets arrangedacropetally on a flat capitulum.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plant flowers in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to 1.5 to 2 weeks of long day/short night conditions afterplanting followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions,flower about 55 to 57 days later.

Postproduction longevity.--In an interior environment, inflorescences ofcut flowering stems will maintain good color and substance for at leastthree weeks in an interior environment.

Quantity of inflorescences.--8 to 12 inflorescences per flowering stem.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter: About 7 cm. Depth (height): About 1.2 cm.Diameter of disc: About 2 cm.

Ray florets.--Shape: Elongated, narrow. Size: Length: About 3.25 cm.Width: About 1.2 cm. Apex: Dentate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire.Texture: Satiny, smooth, glabrous, ribbed lengthwise. Aspect: Flat.Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 24. Color: When opening,upper surface: 70B. When opening, under surface: 70D. Mature, uppersurface: 70B, color does not fade with further development. Mature,under surface: 70D, color does not fade with further development.

Disc florets.--Shape: Tubular. Size: Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 220. Color:Immature: 144B/151B. Mature: 7A.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Strong and angled about 45° to the stem. Length:First peduncle: About 8.5 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 11.5 cm. Texture:Glabrous. Color: 147B.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 2B. Pollen: Moderate, 2B in color. Gynoecium: Present on both rayand disc florets.

Disease resistance: No known Chrysanthemum diseases observed to date onplants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plantnamed Regal Volare, as illustrated and described.